Morning journal and courier., 1887-03-26

| Cured to him that he had promised to cal
| upon his chum, who lived near the aunt
| residence, and close up business matter O.
| some Importance. Although it was late, ht
| knew his chum's penchant for late hours and
| therefore had no scruples.
He retraced his steps and was about tc
| ring the bell of his friends house when he
happened to see woman coming up the
street. The figure was SO familiar that he
| involuntarily sought the sidewalk. AS the
| figure approached the belief that it was Abb
gail became certainty, and he fastened for
| ward to meet her. He was not aware, SO alb.
sorbed had he been in making family pic
| lures, that one hour had passed since he had
| left Abigail. In his impetuous way he had
but one thought, and that was that Abigail
had concluded to accept his proposition and
| had come out in the hope of overtaking him.
But he was surprised at her silence. When
he spoke to her she answered in quite as en-
dearing terms as he had used in addressing
her; then she took his arm and the two
walked rapidly away. He asked her if she
had really decided to marry him that night,
and he was sure that she said yes. Anyway
he was so overjeyed that he nearly forgot
the way to the minister's. All was dark
when they got there, but vigorous ringing
soon brought the divine to the front door.
John was not long in explaining the situa-
ton, and the minister soon had the front
room in order for the couples reception. He
also pressed his wife into service as a wit
ness, and in a very brief period the knot was
tied and John was happy.
Abigail had answered all questions prop
erly and was apparently as happy as John
over the result. She had not withdrawn her
veil during the ceremony, nor had John in
his raptures thought of asking her to do SO.
They decided that she should return to her
aunt's house and remain there for a day or
two until the final preparations should be
made, when they should go into their own
home.
When John left Abigail for the second
tine that night he felt that he no longer held
the uncertain position of lover, but that
she was his wife by divine decree. Visions
of the perfect home, of the comfortable slip
pers, cosev chair and warm fire followed him
home and became large part of his dreams
when he dropped off. And all the next day
they still occupied his thoughts. In the
evening he was at Abigail's side. His first
words were:
"My wife now in spite of everyone"
She looked at him as though she thought
hina crazy. "Your wife, Johnl' she ex-
claimed. "But I have not accepted your
proposition yet. You presume too much,
SIR" and she drew herself up in q mock-de.
FAINT manner.
"You are big tease" said John, "but
could scarcely believe my senses"
"What are you talking about, John?" look
"Why, our marriage" replied he, also Sc
riously.
''It seems to me that I did dream some
thing about getting married." said Abigail
"Dream about it! You amaze me- If
| remember Alright we had all the parapherna-
| liza for genuine wedding" said John.
"There was the minister, his wife as a wit
ness and we two, who were married. And
| here is the certificate, if you do not believe
| it," and he drew that precious document
| from his pocket
Abigail was astounded To think that she
had been married without being cognizant of
| it was too much even for her strong mind,
and she was more than half inclined to cry.
| Then the ridiculous feature occurred to her,
and she was for some time in mid-air be-
tween laughing and crying. When she had
calmed down and her mind became settled
the true status of affairs began to dawn upon
her. Hitherto she had never mentioned to
John her somnambulistic escapades because
she had been half ashamed of them, but
now that she was married she thought it her
duty to explain.
She told him all about it, and how on the
night that he had left Her at the gate she had
gone to her room, and being unusually tired,
had lain down upon the bed without un-
dressing and had fallen asleep. The cireum-
stances of the marriage had all come to her
as dream, and when she arose that morn
ing she had not given the matter a second
thought. But now that he had recalled the
marriage she remembered all the details.
Thus the affair stands John and Abigail
are visiting friends in the West, while the
old gentleman is endeayoring to find some
means of getting his daughter back.